Erythrodermatitis. Feet of a man suffering from erythrodermatitis, also known as exfoliative dermatitis (ED) or red man syndrome. Symptoms are widespread reddening of the skin caused by the dilation of blood vessels, accompanied by exfoliation of the skin. Patients may lose between 20 and 30 grams of skin per day and 90 percent of the body's surface may be affected. ED can be a development of other forms of dermatitis or may be associated with conditions such as lymphoma, leukaemia and psoriasis. It can also occur as a result of drug allergy. In around 30 percent of cases ED is idiopathic, meaning that it has no obvious cause.